sorcerouss

music collecter and reviewer. black metal enthusiast  instagram: @sorcerouss    

[frumpkingoesfurrst]

We’ll never die

[frumpkingoesfurrst]

For future confused Tumblr cockroaches, this post is about Facebook and it’s affiliated sites, Instagram and WhatsApp, temporarily crashing on October 4th, 2021.

We all gathered together to celebrate our refusal to fucking die and put a collective middle finger up to Mark Zuckerberg.

Like or reblog to flip Mark Zuckerberg off and receive good vibes :)

[sorcerouss-blog]

Red River Family Fest 2018 in Review

Background

I’ve been seriously into metal for at least 4 to 5 years now - longer if you include my forays into melodic death metal and power metal back in high school, but this is the first festival I’ve been to. I’d always imagined my first festival to be something like Wacken, Hellfest or Roadburn (where I thought I would come by the funds necessary to travel and stay in Europe I have no idea), but I’m glad things happened the way that they did.

This year’s Red River Family Fest happened the weekend of the 28th of September at Barracuda, a live music venue in Austin, Texas. It was hosted by the eponymous Red River Family Records, a label specializing in releasing black metal cassettes, and included a lineup of mostly North American bands.

A regional scene that seemed well-represented in the lineup was the Vrasubatlat bands of Portland, Oregon. The label was responsible for several under-the-radar fan favorite releases this year, including Serum Dreg’s Lustful Vengeance, Dagger Lust’s Siege Bondage Averse to the Godhead, and my personal favorite, Adzalaan’s Into Vermillion Mirrors, which I ended up snagging a tape of. Though they didn’t release this year, Triumvir Foul did play at the festival, to much fanfare.

Other names I was actively following prior to attending the fest included the following: FIN, who had released the fantastic Arrows of a Dying Age last year; Uada, who had burst onto the scene with the stunning debut Devoid of Light back in 2016 and followed up with the lackluster Cult of a Dying Sun earlier this year; Imperial Triumphant, who recently made waves with their jazzy, experimental take on black metal and outlandish aesthetics; Panegyrist with their avant-garde debut album Hierurgy; and Vilkacis, who sadly cancelled their appearance last minute. The latter released both the full-length album Beyond the Mortal Gate and a split with former labelmates Turia this year, both of which I recommend without reservation.

The venue itself was split up into an indoor stage, with a bar and merch section, and an outdoor stage. The setup was pretty ingenious; once the night got into full swing with the most popular bands playing, a band would set up outside while another performed inside, and vice versa. The result? Back-to-back sets, and upwards of 20 bands squeezed into the space of two nights.

Friday Highlights

Panegyrist. By god, these guys can sing and play. The aesthetics weren’t half bad, either. The band sets itself apart from the rest of the genre with two clean vocalists and heavy use of keyboards, all situated within a ritualistic, melodic atmosphere. This set was a breath of fresh air.

Tempestarii stands out as being the most immersive performance of the festival. In medieval lore, the band’s namesake were weather magicians who could raise storms at will. If I were to describe the experience of their set briefly, I’d say that it felt like being in the center of a raging storm. Thick, heavy, thunderlike chords were interspersed with trembling whispers of wind in an all-encompassing whirlwind of sound and vibrating air around me. A fitting name, indeed.

If you were listening to FIN on record, you wouldn’t realise it was just two guys playing. With that said, they had no problem leading the (very exhausted) crowd through an entire set of fast-paced, triumphant, baroque-influenced black metal. This was a very enjoyable set, and I promptly purchased the 2017 release Arrows of a Dying Age at the end of the night.

Crawl is a sight to behold. This one-man project plays grating, sludgy noise on a contraption that looks a deconstructed bass guitar set atop a drum set, all held together by the vertebrae of some ancient serpentine monster.

Saturday Highlights

Imperial Triumphant shot to fame earlier in 2018 with their jazzy, disorienting release Vile Luxury. Embodying the grotesque luxury and rotten underbelly of the metropolis New York City, the band impressed with both their frantic, unnerving sound and stage getup, featuring the three members in expressionless gold masks and long, black hooded cloaks.

Panzerfaust was the best live act that played at the festival. I’d heard of them in passing, but the catchy riffs and technical chops of the band members really shone in a live performance. Add to that the fantastic theatrics of their performance, and this ranks as one of my favorite performances from the festival.

Uada was one of the most eagerly awaited acts of the night, and they allowed the excitement in the audience to mount. Finally emerging from amidst the fog from many smoke machines and bathed in an eerie purple light, the band launched directly into songs from both their old and new albums. Even though my fondness for the band has been dampened by their underwhelming new album, I can’t deny that they put on a good show, especially when playing old favorites.

I tried to record as many of the performances as possible and posted them to my Instagram. Find my video clips here.

See the post tags (beginnning #litany of ruinous entities/#lore) for the full lineup.

[sorcerouss-blog]

2018 AoTY List

2018 AoTY List

I’m going to do something a little different this year. Rather than having a top 20 and extra honorable mentions, I’ll format my chart as follows: a top 10 and additional “notable” releases.

1. Iskandr - Euprosopon

This was a huge surprise. Before this year, I’d never so much as heard of the Dutch label Haeresis Noviomagi, let alone thought to explore it. This album is less aggressive than most in the genre, but still hugely evocative in a stately, melancholic kind of way. There are four tracks on the album, each of them a gem, but I’d have to pick Regnum as my favorite.

2. Acathexis - Acathexis

One of 2018’s best and most surprising offerings, Acathexis released their debut full-lengths mere days before the end of the year. The band plays beautiful, grand atmospheric black metal and features members of Mare Cognitum and Cult of Erinyes.

3. Svartidaudi - Revelations of the Red Sword

This is by no means a unique pick, as I’ve heard plenty of people list the new Svartidaudi in their top 5 of the year, but it is well deserved. As a follow-up to the 2012 release Flesh Cathedral that put the Icelandic black metal scene on the map, it more than fulfills fans’ expectations. Pick this up for a dose of fantastic dissonant black metal.

4. Moenen of Xezbeth - Ancient Spells of Darkness

...and they’re back! Just one year after their debut, Moenen of Xezbeth return with their doomy, occult black metal sound. Though their first release Dawn of Morbid Sorcery is still clearly superior, this holds its own as a standalone full-length record. It's slightly campy but not over the top, and definitely lots of fun.

5. Ungfell - Mythen, Maren, Pestilenz

Ungfell from Switzerland have been at it for a while with their folky black metal, but this is their first release that really hit me. The medieval influences are front and center in Mythen, Maren, Pestilenz in a way they were not previously, and it makes for a spectacularly immersive listen.

6. Death Karma - The History of Death and Burial Rituals, pt II 7. Adzalaan - Into Vermillion Mirrors 8. Vilkacis/Turia Split 9. Urfaust - The Constellatory Practise 10. Antlers - Beneath.Below.Behold

Notable releases

I’m going to have to give the two death metal albums on my list a nod. Superstition’s Surging Throng of Evil’s Might wasn’t just a fantastic OSDM demo from a technical and sonic perspective, but also scratched my spooky metal itch. Amorphis’ Queen of Time is just wholesome, all around catchy prog/melodeath, with standout tracks such as Message in the Amber, Heart of the Giant and single The Bee.

In other news, other Haeresis Noviomagi releases by Turia and Lubbert Das also made the list, but everything the label put forth this year was a fantastic effort. 

For all the trouble with the Atmospheric Black Metal Albums youtube channel earlier in 2018, Pest Productions also offered many stellar Asian releases, some of which unfortunately didn’t make my list. These include albums by Pure Wrath, Asunojokei, and Holyarrow.

[sorcerouss-blog]

Rock and Shock 2018 in Review

A hidden gem of the Boston music scene is the annual Rock and Shock Festival, a Horror Movie Convention and Music Festival held at the DCU Center and The Palladium. This year’s lineup included a stunning selection of local openers from the Boston heavy music scene, as well as world-renowned bands from Europe and all across the States.

Locals

Openers for the show on Saturday included symphonic acts Age of Embers, Vivisepulture, Goldenhall, Seven Spires, and Virus of Ideals, as well as hard rock act Blind Revision and blackened doom band Dark Was the Night.

Omnium Gatherum

Finnish melodic death band Omnium Gatherum began the show after the last local opener, Virus of Ideals, on the Palladium Downstairs stage. The lead singer, Jukka Pelkonen, interacted constantly with the crowd, inviting fans to sing along and promoting the band’s latest effort, The Burning Cold, which was released earlier this year. In addition to playing tracks off the newest release, Omnium Gatherum revisited old fan favourites from previous albums such as The Unknowing, and Skyline, ending with the track Ego off the highly celebrated album New World Shadows. The band’s signature sound of bright, almost poppy melodic death metal received immense audience reaction, and a good deal of headbanging.

Moonspell

Next up were legendary Portuguese doomsters Moonspell, who have been active since 1992. Since their inception, the band has shifted from a folk-influenced sound to the extreme gothic metal sound they are known for today. The performance was highly visual and theatrical, with heavy use of costumes and, at one point, a plague doctor’s mask by frontman Fernando Ribeiro. The crowd was animated but relaxed, owing partially to the less upbeat vibe of the genre, and partially to the riveting theatrics onstage. The set included such favourites as Alma Mater and ended with an old fan favourite, Full Moon Madness from their 1996 album.

Sarah Longfield 

On the upstairs stage, Sarah Longfield of Wisconsin played a 25 minute set. Longfield is known for her intricate tapping techniques the signature djent-y, math rock-influenced sound. Signed to Season of Mist and partnered with Strandberg Guitars, the multi-instrumentalist released a new album, Disparity, in November of this year.

Ne Obliviscaris

Hailing from Australia, Ne Obliviscaris has seen a meteoric rise in popularity in recent years. In addition to the standard melodic death metal sound common to this lineup, the bands adds interest by way of dual vocalists. Buttery clean vocals and a lead violin contrast with and beautifully highlight the harsh rasping vocals. The performance was an interplay between the incredibly charismatic violinist Tim Charles, and his stoic counterpart, frontman Marc “Xenoyr” Campbell. Halfway through the set, they performed the track Intra Venus from the latest album, Urn, which was released last year, to considerable response. The crowd, which had until now contented themselves with headbanging and moshing sent forth the first wave of crowd surfers. Enthusiasm mounted, and remained high within the audience throughout the set to the end, when the band finished strong with their most famous track, And Plague Flowers the Kaleidoscope.

Wintersun

Wintersun’s set proved exciting, to say the least. The five-piece Finnish power metal-influenced melodic death metal band, as in the past, tied sweeping symphonic and folky elements into their music. The highly sing-along-able nature of the music was intensified by the dramatic clean vocals supplied by frontman Jari Maenpaa, who directed the crowd as a conductor would an orchestra. The excitement came to a palpable head when the band performed the perennial fan favourite, Sons of Winter and Stars, a glorious thirteen and a half minute opus split into four distinct sections. “We are the sons of winter and stars/we come from a far beyond time/forever the fire burns in our hearts/our world shall never die,” sang the fans, almost drowning Maenpaa out entirely. The enthusiasm dropped off slightly as the band introduced some newer tracks into their set, but revived instantaneously as Wintersun ended with the popular track Time.

Dark Tranquility

Dark Tranquility of Finland, along with contemporaries In Flames and At the Gates were godfathers of the Gothenburg melodic death metal scene back in the ‘90s, and the former is undoubtedly the most popular of the three today. Frontman Mikael Stanne took the stage on Saturday night to play a set, peppered with both recent tracks off Atoma, released in 2016, and older gems, most prominently off 2007’s Fiction. The crowd surfers showed no sign of stopping, even taking extra time to shake Stanne’s hand before dismounting from the collective grip of the crowd and the bouncers. Dark Tranquility’s set, unlike the others, was accompanied by visuals projected onto a blank screen at the back of the stage, using imagery ranging from album and music video art and animations from Atoma to vintage video clips. The band finished a stellar performance with a memorable ending - their perpetual audience favourite, Misery’s Crown, with a lyric video to match. The crowd went wild.

Amorphis

Amorphis from Finland, one of the old guard of melodic death metal, rounded out the night with a spirited performance to promote their recent release Queen of Time. Starting off with the single The Bee, the band played an hour-long set including songs both new and old, most prominently featuring such favourites as Silver Bride and Death of a King from previous albums. With a career spanning over 3 decades, the band had plenty of material to choose from, and they did not disappoint. In the face of a crowd at minimum energy from a day of live music, frontman Tomi Joutsen and crew pulled out hit after hit. By the last song, even the most apathetic audience member was swept in along in the current of electric energy that Joutsen inspired in the crowd with the track Black Winter Day.

As for me? I spent the two weeks after the show replaying Amorphis’ Queen of Time daily.

[sorcerouss-blog]

Backlog: 2017 AoTY Top Twenty

2017 AoTY Top 20

This was another great year for World Terror Committee/Blut & Eisen Productions, with three releases making my list and many great ones that didn't besides. My picks include old names as well as new, veterans in the scene as well as very memorable debuts, ranging from cavernous, raw soundscapes through more experimental releases through to the atmospheric and downright pretty. I’ve upped the number of honorable mentions to five, including some fantastic splits and fresh takes on the genre. 

1. Acrimonious - Eleven Dragons

Greece's Acrimonious had me hooked with the release of the single "The Northern Portal", and the rest of the album exceeded my expectations. Acrimonious alternates easily digestable melodic passages and more fierce riffing to great effect. Clocking in at over an hour in length with eleven tracks, the album is a monumental effort, and one that is riveting the entire way through.

2. Yellow Eyes - Immersion Trench Reverie

Hailing from New York, Yellow Eyes has a wholly individual style that they've expanded on in this new release. Infused with the unsettling, chaotic atmospheres that they're well known for, the band brings a new dimension to their work with the use of Siberian field recordings.

3. vvilderness - Devour the Sun

This is Hungarian mastermind vvildr's first foray into metal, and I certainly hope he continues. With a background in dreamy post-rock soundscapes, he's very experienced in creating delicate, beautiful atmospheres. In Devour the Sun, he does just this, layering uplifting melodies with subdued harsh vocals to to create a true post-black metal gem.

4. Moenen of Xezbeth - Dawn of Morbid Sorcery

Alright, this is technically a demo and not a full-length, but trust me when I say it deserves this spot on the list. Moenen of Xezbeth hails from Belgium and conjures up some of the best doomy occult black metal you’ve heard. There are moments where the atmosphere is almost cloyingly campy, but their sound teeters exactly at the intersection of enjoyable and theatrical. 

5. FIN - Arrows Of A Dying Age

This year, Chicago’s FIN returns with their third full-length, Arrows of a Dying Age. The release is full of fast-paced triumphant melodies, a welcome change from standard black metal fare. With 11 tracks clocking in at under 50 minutes, the band sets out to effectively deliver a refreshingly bright take on nostalgia and historical themes. 

6. Black Cilice - Banished from Time

7. Kafirun - Eschaton

8. Aosoth - V: The Inside Scriptures

9. The Ruins of Beverast - Exuvia

10. Falls of Rauros - Vigilance Perennial

11. Nokturnal Mortum - Істина Verity

12. Wormwitch - Strike Mortal Soil

13. Der Weg einer Freiheit - Finisterre

14. The Great Old Ones - EOD : A Tale Of Dark Legacy

15. Wolves in the Throne Room - Thrice Woven

16. Inferno - Gnosis Kardias (Of Transcension and Involution)

17. Black Kirin - 金陵祭 Nanking Massacre

18. Malokarpatan - Nordkarpatenland

19. Possession - Exorkizein

20. Novae Militiae - Gash’khalah

Honorable Mentions

1.Thy Darkened Shade/Chaos Invocation - Saatet - Ta Apep

Thy Darkened Shade puts out some pummeling black metal with a strong catchy melody line, while Chaos Invocation’s side of the split begins slow and eerie before blossoming into a fierce vocal assault, interspersed with ominous chanting. 

2. Haunter/Sovereign - Haunter/Sovereign

Both hailing from the States, Haunter and Sovereign put out a gem of a split this year. Haunter opens with coasting, dissonant textures that evokes just the slightest bit of unease, and Sovereign continues with a more forceful approach.  

3. Les Chants du Hasard - Tome I

Les Chants du Hasard is worth a mention, if only for the novelty of the project. Sole member Hazard creates a symphonic black metal album with only an orchestra and his vocals - no guitars, bass or drums. The result? A very melodramatic, majestic, and convincing release, even if its inclusion in the genre can be debated.

4. Sicarius - Serenade of Slitting Throats

Another gem of USBM comes to us in the form of Sicarius’ first full-length release, Serenade of Slitting Throats. These Californians impress with fast and furious drumming and riffing, offering 10 tracks of highly enjoyable, headbangable material.

5. Graveflowers - The Hyacinth Garden

This demo by ambient/black metal project Graveflowers is a surprising mix between raw production and quiet, more introspective moments. There’s hints of melancholy and wistfulness in the release, buried under layers of aggression but echoing faintly in the opening and ending.

[sorcerouss-blog]

An Atmospheric Black Metal Primer

Atmospheric black metal was my (and many other people’s, or so I've heard) entryway into the genre, and has always held a special place in my heart. Through years of recommendations and trying to get friends into the genre, I've compiled a primer for those who are curious or trying to get deeper in the genre.

Row I: The Greats

I feel like there needs to be a preface. Unlike other black metal subgenres, the US has always been a force to be reckoned with in the atmospheric black metal scenes. With precursors to the genre such as Weakling, the illustrious (and now sadly defunct) Agalloch and Wolves in the Throne room, America has always been a frontrunner when it comes to atmoblack. Additionally, Bergtatt seems like an easy choice and one of the earliest examples of the genre. Addaura's Burning for the Ancient has racked up some devout followers, and Forteresse's Themes Pour La Rebellion is a fantastic release from the equally prominent Quebecois black metal scene.

Weakling - Dead as Dreams

Agalloch - The Mantle

Wolves in the Throne Room - A Diadem of 12 Stars

Ulver - Bergtatt

Addaura - Burning for the Ancient

Forteresse - Themes Pour La Rebellion

Row II: The Folky

Since its inception, the subgenre has been deeply tied with elements of folk music, if for nothing else but the fact that the genres work so well together. Ukranian heavyweights Drudkh and Nokturnal Mortum have been mainstays in the genre and were no-brainers to include. China's Zuriaake is more of a newcomer to the scene and imparts some interesting oriental flair, while Italy's Selvans is great if underrated for showcasing folk at its best. No conversation about regional folk influences is complete without Panopticon's earthy, bluegrass-inspired sounds and the soaring bagpipes that recall Saor's homeland of Scotland.

Drudkh - Blood in Our Wells

Nokturnal Mortum - The Voice of Steel

Zuriaake - Afterimage of Autumn

Selvans - Lupercalia

Panopticon - Kentucky

Saor - Guardians

Row III: The Spacey

If nature is an obvious subject to turn to while on the subject of atmospheric black metal, then it only stands to reason that the cosmos would also garner some interest within the scene. Australia's one-man project Midnight Odyssey conjures vast cosmic spaces with Midnight Odyssey, while Darkspace ups the dread of the void just a little more. Earth and Pillars evokes similarly icy atmospheres, and Mare Cognitum turns up the melodic aspects to showcase the vast, triumphant beauty of space. Alrakis is a gentler, more atmospheric take on the cosmos, and Mesarthim imparts more of a dreamy feeling with gut-wrenchingly beautiful melodies.

Midnight Odyssey - Funerals from the Astral Sphere

Darkspace - Dark Space III

Earth and Pillars - Pillars I

Mare Cognitum - Phobos Monolith

Alrakis - Alpha Eri

Mesarthim - Isolate

Row IV: Lighter

If you've read this far, it should come as no surprise that there are myriad variations upon variations in black metal. While the genre is characterized as a whole by frigid, chaotic atmospheres, there are those who tend towards the more beautiful and the more positive. Russia's Trna blends post-black atmospheres like a warm blanket into the icy depths of black metal, and Bloodbark plays a stripped-back, similarly tender and dreamy sound. Vvilderness, with origins in post-rock, creates comforting soundscapes tempered slightly by melancholy, while Summoning, famed for its references to Tolkein, is closer kin to the dungeon synth genre. Caladan Brood and Sojourner both play what can only be described as "epic" black metal - gargantuan folky atmospheres that could form the soundtrack to a fantasy battle.

Trna - Earthcult

Bloodbark - Bonebranches

Vvilderness - Devour the Sun

Summoning - Old Mornings Dawn

Caladan Brood - Echoes of Battle

Sojourner - Empires of Ash

Row V: Heavier

Naturally, the subgenre leads towards heavier tunes as well. Whether that's in terms of vocals, distortion, production or melody, these following releases are chaotic, icy, and grating, in the best possible way. Burzum's Filosofem is arguably the genre creator, and full to the brim with raw production and repetitive riffing. Fuath shares a sole member with Saor, but takes a turn for the harsh and icy in comparison. Yellow Eyes brings chaotic, stifling atmospheres to the forefront, while Ash Borer and Altar of Plagues bring the heavier, less melodic side of atmospheric black metal. Nattens Madrigal is the harshest and most unyielding of the legendary Ulver's black metal triumvirate of albums.

Burzum - Filosofem

Fuath - I

Yellow Eyes - Immersion Trench Reverie

Ash Borer - Cold of Ages

Altar of Plagues - White Tomb

Ulver - Nattens Madrigal

Row VI: Miscellaneous

Even within a subgenre of oddities, there are those that stand out, and gain notoriety for doing so. One such example is Batushka, a Polish band whose Eastern Orthodox-inspired sound and aesthetic made waves when their album first came out. Similarly, Fyrnask takes a ritualistic approach to atmospheric black metal, but it is more primitive and occult. Botanist weaves the sound of hammered dulcimers into bright plant-themed black metal, while Night Heir drenches clean vocals with a heavy dose of drama. Urfaust continues on the tradition of ritualistic sounds, but with a unique vocal twist.

Batushka - Litourgiya

Fyrnask - Forn

Botanist - IV: Flora

Night Heir - Wind in My Dream, Mist in My House

Obsequiae - Aria of Vernal Tombs

Urfaust - The Constellatory Practice

I hope you've enjoyed my list and found some gems. I urge you to keep exploring and discovering; black metal is a genre as vast as it is diverse, and this is only the tip of the frigid Norwegian iceberg.

[sorcerouss-blog]

Backlog: 2016 AoTY Top Twenty

2016 AoTY Top 20

2016 is probably the year I first tried to find new releases of my own accord, and I was very partial towards to the USBM scene, especially the label Bindrune Records (and still am to this day). This year also marked my discovery of the cosmic black metal subgenre, and a growing familiarity with the Polish black metal scene. Very surprisingly, there’s more to it than just Behemoth, mgla and Batushka. So, without further ado: my top 20 releases of 2016.

1. Fyrnask - Fórn

This German project masterminded by founder Fyrnd is deliciously ritualistic and atmospheric, and sonically right up my alley. Layers of bells, strumming and vocals create an otherworldly haze that envelops and holds you within its grasp from start to finish. Fórn was released during the first half of the year but there was absolutely no question in my mind that it would top off my AoTY list once I heard it.

2. Forteresse - Thèmes pour la Rébellion

Quebecois heavyweights Forteresse return with another album full of driving atmospheric black metal, and it holds up very well against the rest of their discography. This one was definitely a grower for me, so give it another try if it doesn’t hook you immediately.

3. Uada - Devoid of Light

American newcomers Uada burst onto the scene with a fantastic debut in the form of Devoid of Light - immediate comparisons were drawn to Polish black metallers mgla, but Uada still holds their own. They play a more palatable and melodic brand of atmospheric black metal, but they do it well.

4. Cultes des Ghoules - Coven, or Evil Ways Instead of Love

Polish masters of arcane black metal Cultes des Ghoules offer up a spooky release, complete with ghoulish shrieked vocals that perfectly encapsulates a witchy, horror-filled atmosphere. At more than one and a half hours in length, each track is a drawn-out but deliciously sinister affair.

5. Saor - Guardians Saor hails from Glasgow, and is no stranger to the folky black metal scene, with prior releases such as Roots and Aura already having contributed to a small, but dedicated fanbase. With Guardians, Marshall expands the scope of his already established soundscapes, elevating the music to epic levels. The excellent and liberal use of highland bagpipes is worth a mention, as it contributes a great deal to the soaring melodies of the album.

6. Vukari - Divination

7. Old Graves - Long Shadows

8. Wędrujący Wiatr - O Turniach, Jeziorach I Nocnych Szlakach

9. Furia - Księżyc Milczy Luty

10. Arkona - Lunaris

11. Fuath - I

12. Murg - Gudatall

13. Panphage - Drengskapr

14. Crimson Moon - Oneironaut

15. Thrawsunblat - Metachthonia

16. Marsh Dweller - The Weight of Sunlight

17. Void Omnia - Dying Light

18. Mare Cognitum - Luminiferous Aether

19. Firtan - Innenwelt

20. Urfaust - Empty Space Meditation

Honorable Mentions

1. Panopticon - Revisions Of The Past

This re-release of two albums in the older Panopticon discography came at a great time for me, since I was doing a haul from Bindrune anyway. On the Subject of Mortality is the standout album of the two for me, and usually overlooked in favour of newer albums like Kentucky, Autumn Eternal, and Roads to the North. Social Disservices serves up some grating black metal that definitely lies on the heavier end of the Panopticon spectrum, both thematically and sonically.

2. Hesychast - Ageless

An American atmospheric black metal project, Hesychast distinguishes itself from the crowd with its themes and lyrical content. Ageless takes cues from Eastern Orthodox Christianity instead of the more common Satanism or Paganism, layering blackened raspy vocals over catchy but sombre melodies.

3. Black Funeral - Ankou And The Death Fire

Black Funeral is another American black metal project with an eye on the spiritual and the mystic; lyrical themes in Ankou and the Death Fire include pagan mythology and occultism. Highly melodic guitar melodies lead the charge over pounding drums and classic black metal vocals.